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More acclaim for trio of Matildas

Australian women's football has received more acclaim overnight with three Matildas - Heather Garriock, Collette McCallum and captain Cheryl Salisbury - listed amongst ten nominees who will be vying for the 2007 AFC Women’s Player of the Year award.

Australian women's football has received more acclaim overnight with three Matildas listed amongst ten nominees who will be vying for the 2007 AFC Women-s Player of the Year award.

Captain Cheryl Salisbury plus midfield duo Heather Garriock and Collette McCallum have all been nominated following the Matildas outstanding success in reaching the quarter finals of the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.

All three got on the scoresheet during the tournament and featured in each of the Matildas four matches. Defender Salisbury playing in her fourth World Cup scored the dramatic injury time equaliser against Canada which ensured the Matildas progression to the knockout stage. Perth-based McCallum scored with a stunning free kick earlier in the same match while Garriock's headed strike against Ghana was ranked by fifa.com amongst the tournament's top ten goals.

"The nomination of Cheryl, Heather and Collette as nominees for AFC Women's Player of the Year is further deserved recognition for the Matildas following the team's inspirational performances at the Women's World Cup," said Football Federation Australia Chief Executive Ben Buckley.

"The recent acclaim received by the Matildas is further evidence of the team's impact on the world stage and shows how far the team has progressed in the last few years under coach Tom Sermanni.

"As the female game in Australia continues to grow at an incredible rate, the Matildas success in China last month was an inspiration to all young footballers, both male and female."

The AFC Women-s Player of the Year award will go to the most outstanding women-s player who has performed consistently at AFC and/or FIFA competitions with the final three nominees to be announced later this month.

This year-s winner will be announced at the inaugural AFC Women-s Awards which will take place on November 6 in Kuala Lumpur. The 2007 Asian Football Confederation Gala Awards will be held in Sydney on November 28.